Controller for electric circuits.



No. 798,161. PATENTED AUG. 29, 1905. Il. R. CARICHOPF.

CONTROLLER POR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30,1904.

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PATENTED AUG. 29, 1905.

E. R. CARICHCIF. CONTROLLER FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

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APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30,1904.

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NITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE R. CARICHOFEOF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEI/V YORK;

CoNTFICLLER'I-on ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

Speciication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1905.

Application filed June 30, 1904. Serial No. 214,694.

To all w/wm/ t may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE R. CARICHCFF, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controllers forElectric Circuits, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to the control of electric translating devices, andis particularly adapted for use in controlling the circuits of electricmotors.

In a former application, Serial No. 179,796, filed by me November 4,1903, I have disclosed a system of control for electric circuitsembodying as one of its features a controller arranged to make thedesired changes in an electric circuit in predetermined order and at apredetermined rate by means of a plurality of normally open switches,together with means for simultaneously placing the switches understrain. tending to cause them to close, and means for automaticallyregulating` the closing of the switches in succession.

The particular arrangement illustrated and described in theabove-mentioned application consists of a single shaft, upon which aplurality of switches are flexibly mounted. The shaft is rotated toplace allthe switches simultaneously under strain, and a series ofobstructing devices are utilized for preventing the closing of theswitches. As the obstructing devices are serially moved out ofengagement with the several switches, the switches close in apredetermined order and at a rate determined by the rate at which theobstructing devices are moved.

My present invention consists in an improvement in thecontrolling-switch disclosed in my former application and comprises asingle magnet-winding acting upon a plurality of armatures, each ofwhich is operatively connected to a normally open switch. When themagnet-coil is energized, all the arma tures are placed under strain;but the Inovement of the several armatures is prevented by a pluralityof obstructing devices, which as they are serially disengaged from thearmatures permit the successive closing of the several switches. Bymeans of this arrangement the necessity for a-fiexible connection foreach switch is removed, the magnetic pull exerted by a single coiltaking the place of the pulls exerted by the several springs in theswitch shown in my former application.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which# Figure l shows a perspective view of acontrolling-switch arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2shows a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 shows a modificationthereof.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown my controlling-switchconnected to control the circuit of a motor by cutting out successiveresistance-sections. It will be understood, however, that my inventionis applicable to the control of any circuit in which it is desired tomake a plurality of changes in predetermined order.

In Fig'. l, M represents an electric motor havingfourresistance-sections R to R1, adapted for connection in series withit. L represents a line-wire or other suitable source of current for themotor. C represents a magnet coil or winding, the circuit of which iscontrolled bythe switch s. The coilCis provided with a plurality ofarmatures c to ci, which are loosely journaled on the shaft A, which issupported from the end pieces l( K. The shaft A may be either journaledin the end pieces or rigidly secured thereto. Brepresents a secondshaft, which is journaled in the end pieces K l and which carries asecond series of armatures I) to b", which engage the several armaturesa to c", overlapping their upper ends by unequal amounts. All of thesearmatures to 0f, except the last, are connected to shaft B by means of apin-andslot connection, the shaft being provided with a plurality ofpins /t to 7b3, which engage slots of different lengths on thearmatures, and

thereby permit a movement of the armatures relative to the shaft. Thefirst armature?) is provided with a long slot, so as to have thegreatest amount of relative movement. The last armature b* is rigidlysecured to the shaft. The shaft B carries an arm cl3, to which issecured, by means of the rod d2, the piston Z of a dash-pot l). `Thepiston CZ is provided with a check-valve (,Z', which permits a freedownward movement of the piston and retards its upward movement. Eacharmature a has secured to it a ieXible rod e, which carries at its tip aswitch-contactf, which when the ar- IOO mature a is drawn inward engagesa stationary contact g, and thereby connects the linewire L to aterminal of one of the resistancesections R.

The operation is as follows: Then coil C is energized by closing theswitch s, the coil C exerts a pull upon the armatures t to a", tendingto draw them inward, and thereby to close the several switches. Thearmatures (t to a4. are in engagement with the armatures 7/ to Z2",which prevent their inward movement, and

consequently prevent the switches from clos-r ing. The armatures Z toZ", however, are also drawn inward by the coil C. This tends to rotatethe shaft B, so as to raise the arm Z3 and the dash-pot piston (Z. Thedash-pot piston consequently moves upward ata rate predetermined by theadjustment of the dashpot until the lirst armature Z becomes disengagedfrom the armature a. Armature a moves quickly inward, closing themotor-circuit at the contacts f and g with a snap movement. The motorconsequently starts with all the resistances in series. The rotation ofshaft B continues, however, under the torque exerted by the remainingarmatures Z to Z", which have been brought nearer coil C bythe rotationof the shaft. The rotation of shaft B after the armature Z has movedinward into engagement with the central member of armature a is providedfor by the pin-and-slot connection. As shaft B continues its rotation,retarded by dash-pot D, the other armatures a a2, &c., are successivelyreleased from their engagement with the armatures Z Z2, &c. The switchesf f2, &c., are consequently closed successively, cutting outresistance-sections in the circuit of motor M. Finally, whenswitch-contactj1i is in its closed position the motor is connecteddirectly across the line with all the resistances cut out. When it isdesired to stop the motor, the circuit of coil C is opened by means ofswitch s. The armatures a a', te., are drawn into the position shown inFig. l by the spring action of the flexible rods c d, &c., themotor-circuit thus being opened with a quick break. The shaft B and itsarmatures are returned to the position shown by the weight of the arm IZand the piston (Z. This weight may be supplemented by a spring', ifdesired. It is not essental that the same coil should perform the twofunctions of placing the several armatures under strain and of removingthe obstructing devices therefrom. Thus in Fig. 3 the coil C acts simplyto place the several armatures Z a', Sac., under strain, while thefunction of removing the obstructing devices is performed by anadditional coil C', which acts upon a lever (Z1, upon the other end ofwhich the dash-pot D acts. The lever cZ'L is secured to shaft I and byits movement produces a rotation of the shaft. The shaft I carries aplurality of obstructing devices to Z1, which as shaft I is rotatedpermit the successive closing of the sever-al armatures (t c, &c., inthe same manner as has been heretofore described.

Obviously magnet-winding C instead of being a single coil composed ofturns each of which surrounds all the armatures may be composed of agreater number of short turns, each surrounding one or more armatures,so as to form a plurality of coils connected in series.

Other changes in the construction and arrangement of parts may be madewithout departing from my invention, and I aim in the appended claims tocover all such modifications.

VVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

1. In combination, a plurality of switches, a magnet-winding, aplurality of armatures for said winding adapted to be placed understrain when said winding is energized, operative connections betweensaid armatures and said switches, and means for automatically regulatingthe movement of said armatures to move said switches in successionindependently of the exciting-current of said magnetwinding.

2. In combination, a motor, a resistance, a plurality of switchesadapted to control .the amount of resistance in the motor-circuit, amagnet-winding, a plurality of armatures for said winding adapted to beplaced under strain when said winding' is energized, operativeconnections between said armatures and said switches, and means forautomatically regulating the movement of said armatures to move saidswitches in succession independently of the exciting-current of saidmagnetwinding.

3. In combination, a plurality of switches, a magnet-winding, aplurality of armatures therefor adapted to be placed under strain whensaid winding is energized, operative connections between the severalarmatures andswitches, means for obstructing the movement of thearmatures, and means for serially removing the obstructing means fromthe armatures.

4. In combination, a plurality of iiXed contacts, a magnet-winding, aplurality of armatures therefor adapted to be placed under strain whensaid winding is energized, movable contacts carried by the severalarmatures, means for obstructing the movement of said armatures, andmeans for serially removing the obstructing means from the armatures soas to permit the movable contacts serially to engage the liXed contactswith a snap action.

5. In combination, a plurality of normally open switches, amagnet-winding, a plurality of armatures therefor adapted to be placedunder strain when said winding is energized, operative connectionsbetween the several armatures and switches, means for obstructing IOOIIO

the movement of the armatures, and magnetically-operated means forserially removing the obstructing means from the armatures at apredetermined rate.

6. In combination, a plurality of normally open switches, amagnet-winding', a plurality of armatures therefor adapted to be placedunder strain when said winding is energized, operative connectionsbetween the several armatures and switches, means for obstructing themovement of the armatures, and means operated by said magnet-winding forserially removing the obstructing means from the armatures.

7. In combination, a magnet-winding, two sets of armatures thereforadapted to be placed simultaneously under strain when said winding isenergized and one set being arranged to obstruct the movement of thesecond set, a shaft arranged to be rotated by the strain on the lirstset and by its rotation to move the armatures of the first set seriallyout of engagement with the second set, and a plurality of switchesoperatively connected to the armatures of the second set.

8. In combination,a magnet-winding,a plurality of armatures thereforadapted to be placed under strain when said winding isenergizedbbstructing means for said armatures adapted to be placed understrain when said winding is energized and by its movement successivelyto release said armatures, means for retarding said movement, and aplurality of switches operatively connected to said armatures.

In witness whereotI I hereunto set my hand this 28th day of June, 1904.

EUGENE R. GARICHOFF.

Witnesses:

ROBERT '.lILns'roN, Luo C. Foss.

